CONSTRUCTION OF AN ANH (EP IV) LUKE SKYWALKER LIGHTSABER
LUXEON LED VERSION : CONSTRUCTION PICTURES AND NOTES
This page will show my progress on my efforts to build a Luxeon LED driven Luke ANH version of a light saber.
I'm using an actual Graflex Housing I got off of eBay for the project.
01/05/08 : I had to get a 1.5 inch "sink tube" as a carrier for the electronics and battery assembly as a holder to keep everything together... From left to right, on/off and aux switches, Graflex Shop Luxeon Blade Adapter (1"), Battery Pack, Crystal Focus 3.0 Driver Board and the Speaker Chamber. The two small black switches at the right are the on/off and aux control switches that I have to locate within the saber housing. The on/off already works, mounting under the original Graflex Red Button. The aux switch, will have to determine the location for that, probably in the front of the tube clamp.
SPEAKER HOLES - DRILLING (GASP!)
01/06/08 : D-ring re-mounted and the speaker test. Works great, and plenty loud enough to drown out my MR sabers :)
01/06/08 : Now the hard part... drilling out the speaker holes in a real Graflex Housing.
I was going to get a Parks Saber replica bottom tube, but what the heck. At least it's a REAL Graflex :)
I have some touch-up to do to the holes (possibly some chrome paint).
Yes, I know... holes are a little off center, but with D-ring installed you can hardly notice it...
GRIP ASSEMBLY
01/06/08 : I chose the Charles Wallace (CW) grips as they were firmer, had the rounded edges
and matched my Master Replica's Luke ANH saber replica more closely than the others.
The original glue strips on the grips sux, so I used BoLink #BL-1857 "servo" double sided tape to mount the grips.
01/06/08 : I used the following drawing/diagram to properly place the grips relative to the rest of the assembly.
Centering around the Graflex Clamp.
Diagram also shows proper location of the D-ring.
NOTE: This is the "movie" version of the saber, NOT the "poster" version.
SPEAKER CHAMBER
01/06/08 : I then constructed a "chamber" for the mini-speaker that will be located in the bottom of the hilt.
This will help amplify and create good volume from the small speaker that is used. Believe me, it's plenty loud!
The chamber was made using a 3/4" PVC pipe coupling. Thanks to Rich Green for the idea.
I cut the coupling in half then routed out a recess to hold the mini-speaker.
01/06/08 : I used a dremel tool and a grinding bit to route out the PCV Speaker Holder/Chamber as to allow the speaker to sit inside the routed "lip" withing the Chamber housing.
D-RING MOUNTING
01/06/08 : Here is a side-by-side shot of the different D-rings that I have purchased. I like the look of the
Blast Tech (BT) and the D-ring from TFX Studios (TFX). So... I wound up using a hybrid, the BT holder and
the TFX ring.
01/06/08 : I looked over the many D-rings that I got from Blast Tech, Charles Wallace and TFX Studios. I decided to
use the mounting tab/holder from Blast Tech and the D-ring from TFX Studios. I put the parts together, I then glass bead blasted the whole ring assembly to "knock off" much of the shine. I like that look, as my Luxeon ANH saber will be "weathered".
01/06/08 : Ready to drill and mount D-ring. Again I'm using a Blast Tech Ring Holder/Clip and a TFX Studios D-ring.
The mounting hardware is from the Blast Tech kit.
01/07/08 : D-ring mounted. I used blue Locktite on internal threads to keep the nut from coming loose and falling off.
That would not be a good thing!
BATTERY PACK ASSEMBLY
12/31/07 : Put together a battery pack. Used 6 each 2100Mah AA Ni-mh cells.
I hot glued the pack together and added cardboard insulators to the ends of each of the packs terminals.
Six cells are required since I'll be using a Luxeon type V LED which requires a larger voltage (7.2Vdc).
This configuration will also fit into the small Graflex hilt area.
LUXEON LED/BLADE HOLDER ASSEMBLY
01/07/06 : Update on the Luxeon LED and Driver Board:
1) Received the Crystal Focus 3.0 Driver Board from Erv' from Plector Labs.
2) Changed the Luxeon Cyan III LED to a Luxeon White type V.
3) When new blades come in, will play around with colored filter material (Lee Filters/"Gels") to make the final blade color match as closely as possible the one that Luke used in Episode IV (ANH).
08/21/07 : Finally got the Graflex Shop's Blade Adapter installed in the Graflex.
I put the current blade from the kit in and marked where the Glass Eye retaining screw located a hole which will be needed to drill into my current blade that came with the kit. Have 4 of the "short" brass pins installed, screw on bottom is from the original Graflex.
Still need to cut and modify the original front "Pin Contact Strip" and install under the two each front brass pins.
I'm also going to eventually update to a "Coring" Style Blade and order a 5 degree collimator lens for the Luxeon LED.
Also waiting on a sound/driver board to become available and need to install a momentary switch under the top Red Button to turn the saber on/off.
08/21/07 : Took the GS Blade Socket Adapter apart and I put heat shrink over the wires running through the GS heat sink to keep the wires protected.
I also added 3 each stainless #4 split lock washers on the cap screws that retain the heat sink that were not included in the kit.
A little heat sink compound was added, but really don't need it with a Luxeon III, but what the heck...
08/14/07 : The Graflex Shop Luxeon mounted on heat sink and the collimator lens.
The Luxeon LED is a type a type III, cyan in color.
Kit came with no instructions, but I had no problem figuring out how to mount and wire the assembly.
08/14/07 : The Graflex Shop Blade Adapter powered up! Blade is a 1" diameter polycarbonate with diffuser material
and "mirror" at the tip. The Graflex replica "Glass Eye" will hold the blade in place once housing is installed in the hilt.
I measured the Luxeon current draw and is approximately 800 ma at 6 Vdc input. The unit is powered by a 4 cell AAA battery pack
and has a in-line 1 ohm 5 watt resistor, so it's currently just a direct drive setup. This will change when I find a
driver/sound board for my needs in the future.
08/14/07 : Now a shot with blade installed into the adapter. Pretty bright, in fact a little brighter than my MR FX Anakin Blue Saber.
Last updated: January 09, 2008
Time: 0803 EST